Food processing
Our customised systems for food processing ensure energy-efficient, product-friendly drying without oxidation and additives, ideal for clean label applications and demanding foods.
Efficient machines for food processing
Food processing encompasses a variety of processes that serve to transform raw materials into high-quality food products. From vacuum drying and freeze drying to dehydration, evaporation and filtration - each method helps to increase the shelf life of products while maintaining optimum quality and making them as tasty as possible for the consumer.
Our systems are used in the beverage, food and environmental industries and are suitable for numerous applications, such as gentle dewatering or the filtration of complex media such as gelatine or sugar syrup. The trend towards natural foods is also reflected in the increasing demand for coloring ingredients obtained from edible fruits and plants.
Our customised solutions guarantee the highest quality and efficiency in every processing step.
Our systems are used in the beverage, food and environmental industries and are suitable for numerous applications, such as gentle dewatering or the filtration of complex media such as gelatine or sugar syrup. The trend towards natural foods is also reflected in the increasing demand for coloring ingredients obtained from edible fruits and plants.
Our customised solutions guarantee the highest quality and efficiency in every processing step.
- Gentle product drying
- Avoidance of oxidation
- Minimal loss of flavor
- Energy efficient
- Tailor-made
- Hygienic
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Food processing in a commercial environment
The Bucher Merk DryBand vacuum belt dryer enables continuous and gentle drying without oxidation, ideal for sensitive, sticky or highly viscous products. It is suitable for applications such as malt extracts, fruit and vegetable concentrates, vitamins and pharmaceutical products. This type of drying results in minimal loss of flavor. The customised systems offer fully automatic process control and cleaning with low energy consumption.
The drying process begins with an even distribution of the liquid products onto the conveyor belts. These are continuously dried by individually controlled heating zones consisting of contact heating plates. Optional radiant heating plates provide additional heat from above to accelerate drying and promote the desired Maillard reaction. In the last zone, the product is cooled and further processed in a brittle state.
At the end of the belt, the dried product cake is cut with a guillotine and pre-shredded before being collected in an intermediate container. The operating vacuum in the dryer is constantly maintained by a condensation and vacuum system, whereby the resulting vapors are condensed in a condenser. The technical equipment enables conveying rates of 2 to 4,000 kg/h and temperatures of 20 to 180 °C at a vacuum of 1 to 100 mbar.
The drying process begins with an even distribution of the liquid products onto the conveyor belts. These are continuously dried by individually controlled heating zones consisting of contact heating plates. Optional radiant heating plates provide additional heat from above to accelerate drying and promote the desired Maillard reaction. In the last zone, the product is cooled and further processed in a brittle state.
At the end of the belt, the dried product cake is cut with a guillotine and pre-shredded before being collected in an intermediate container. The operating vacuum in the dryer is constantly maintained by a condensation and vacuum system, whereby the resulting vapors are condensed in a condenser. The technical equipment enables conveying rates of 2 to 4,000 kg/h and temperatures of 20 to 180 °C at a vacuum of 1 to 100 mbar.
Our machines and systems for food processing
Bucher HPX presses
The Bucher HPX presses are suitable for juice extraction from fruits and vegetables worldwide, as well as for pharmaceutical applications where the highest extraction yields and low trub content in the pressed juice are required.
Citrus washing system
When washing citrus fruit mechanically, the fruit rotates along cylindrical brushes, which rotate the fruit and simultaneously remove impurities with the help of water spray nozzles.
Screw finisher
The double helix screw ensures progressive compaction of the product in two channels, optimising the separation process, while the adjustable screw inlet, the solids drying system with pneumatic cylinder, the pneumatic spray system for screen cleaning, the stainless steel components, angular contact ball bearings, the mechanical seal with continuous fluid renewal and the safety stop system on the lids ensure maximum efficiency and safety.
Efficient vacuum and freeze drying for food and by-products
Vacuum drying
Bucher Merk has many years of experience in drying technology and offers tailor-made solutions for systems such as vacuum drying ovens, continuous vacuum belt dryers and complete lines. We specialise in drying heat-sensitive, sticky and hygroscopic liquids and pastes with viscosities of up to 500,000 mPas and will be happy to discuss the optimum drying process for your products with you.
Freeze drying
Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilisation, is a preservation process in which water from a frozen product is sublimated directly into steam under vacuum. This preserves the structure, nutrients and aromas of the product. This makes the process ideal for food and sensitive materials; freeze-dried products are light, have a long shelf life and largely retain their quality after remoistening.
Specific applications
Our devices are suitable for numerous applications, such as the dewatering of fibrous products for maximum yield, the extraction of plants, sugar beet, onions and garlic, the gentle evaporation of heat-sensitive liquids, aroma recovery and the filtration of liquids.
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Frequently asked questions on the subject: Food processing
How does freeze-drying work in food processing?
In freeze-drying, food is first frozen and then dried under vacuum. The water sublimates directly from ice to steam, which preserves the structure in particular, but also the nutrients and aromas better than alternative drying methods.
Why is the filtration of sugar syrup important?
The filtration of sugar syrup is crucial to remove impurities and ensure consistent quality for beverage production. By using activated carbon, it helps to reduce the ICUMSA value and thus improve the color of the end product.
Which products can be processed in the vacuum belt dryer?
The vacuum belt dryer is suitable for drying pasty and highly viscous products such as malt extracts, fruit concentrates, vitamins, plant extracts and infant formula. It offers gentle drying without oxidation.
What are the advantages of product-friendly drying?
Gentle drying preserves the nutrients, aromas and natural color of the food. Oxidation is also avoided, which extends the shelf life and preserves the quality of the product.
What regulations are there for hygiene in food processing?
Strict hygiene standards must be adhered to in food processing, such as the HACCP guidelines. Systems must have a hygienic design that enables thorough cleaning and prevents the risk of contamination with foreign substances or microorganisms.
